Funding boost to improve facilities at Inglewood for women

Will Johnston 

Inglewood’s female premier rugby manager Peita Kensington said upgrades to their club’s facilities will create a more friendly environment for female players.  

Inglewood is one of 10 rugby clubs across the country to receive a share of $300,000 to upgrade facilities for the benefit of the women’s game, part of the Bunnings Rugby Assist initiative.  

Thirty-thousand dollars has been dedicated to upgrade Inglewood’s bathrooms at the TET Stadium. Funds will go towards products, materials and trade support with hopes of attracting and retaining more females to the game.  

“The players are ecstatic about being the recipient of the Bunnings Rugby Assist grant,” Kensington said.  

“It’s an incredible opportunity for our club to make some much needed repairs.” 

In Kensington’s experience, changing rooms are one of the biggest pain points for women’s rugby.  

Not having enough changing rooms or those changing rooms don’t cater to the needs of females, she said.   

Currently, the ground floor of TET Stadium features four team changing rooms with a smaller room for match officials. It also includes separate shower and toilet facilities. 

She said by upgrading the bathrooms will make female players more comfortable by providing more privacy.  

Eden Park was one of the first major venues in New Zealand to develop gender-neutral changing rooms.  

Kensington encouraged all eligible clubs to apply for the grant.  

“It allows clubs the ability to show women they are thought of, and they will be taken care of by the clubs.” 

Club chair Bernard O’Sullivan said the funding will go a long way to making Inglewood a more inclusive club.  

“To be able to better accommodate women’s rugby in Inglewood is something the club has been working towards the last couple of years,” he said.   

It's paying off because there has been immense growth in the women’s game at the club. It entered a team in the Taranaki premier women’s competition for the first-time last year, 123 years after the club was formed.  

Now, the club boasts over 40 women playing the game. 

O’Sullivan said there is a Friday night primary school grade this term and Inglewood High School girls’ team just completed in their first tour of the central North Island.  

“We are very committed to growing women’s rugby.”